Chilling, atmospheric, and hauntingly mysterious–these are some of the many words that perfectly describe Moonscars, Black Mermaid's latest attempt at emulating the feeling of playing through Dark Souls for the first time. Here, you'll find yourself in control of Grey Irma, a Clayborne warrior tasked with locating The Sculptor to understand the mystery surrounding her existence–perfectly vague, like most any other game within this genre.
And, as is the case with any other Soulslike game, Moonscars is difficult–brutally so. While many would argue that the charm behind these games is to go in blind and experience everything as it happens, it is always a good idea to equip yourself with some knowledge before entering the abyss. It is dangerous to go alone, so here are some beginner tips to get you started in Moonscars.
10 Focus On Positioning And Crowd Control
In Moonscars, one of the first things that you'll come to realize is that your enemies are going to throw themselves at you in huge numbers. When you're just starting out, this can be brutal as it doesn't take long for enemies to completely demolish your health and leave you vulnerable.
To get around this, use your ability to parry and dash to move around enemies and position yourself to one side of the crowd. That way, it'll be easier for you to take them down and come out on top of every sticky situation.
9 Prioritize Healing Over Everything Else
As stated before, it isn't all too difficult for enemies to empty your health and leave you hanging for supplies. So, it is important to keep your health bar on the higher side throughout the journey. Ichor, the item that is used to heal Irma, can be collected by defeating enemies. That said, the health system is a little more complicated than that.
The game has another mechanic called Witcheries that, in a way, consumes your Ichor, turning it into Spoiled Ichor. Now, while you can heal using Spoiled Ichor, you will not be able to use your Witcheries afterward. So, be mindful of the situation that you find yourself in–it may be better to heal first and position yourself properly than using your Witcheries or vice versa.
8 Learn Your Parry Timings
In any Soulslike, the ability to parry your opponents isn't only an easy way to get through most combat situations that you're faced with. It is also a showcase of your skill and mastery of the game. That said, Moonscars is no different in this case–learning how to parry here can grant you a massive edge in the game.
Keep in mind that the parry timings in this game can be a little small for some players. Not to mention, it's almost a given that you'll need to maintain your composure the first couple of times since failing to parry almost always results in certain demise. But if you do get the timing down, you'll unlock one of the most powerful and rewarding experiences in the game.
7 Focus On Flying Enemies
Flying enemies can be a little annoying in any game, but they are a special kind of annoyance in Moonscars. They are always just a little out of reach to come across as an annoyance and are generally overlooked by the players. However, focus too much on grounded enemies, and these critters can whittle away at your health little by little until there's nothing left.
So, it is always a great idea to take out these smaller enemies first as quickly as possible. Once that's done, you'll have a far easier time taking out all the grounded foes before you.
6 Take Your Time At Dark Mirrors
Dark Mirrors are checkpoints that allow you to save your progress, rest up, and equip yourself for the journey ahead. And following the good old tradition of Soulslike games, your enemies will respawn once you rest up at a Dark Mirror. So, it goes without saying that Dark Mirrors have a ton of stuff for you to work your way through.
Apart from the usual ability to warp between Dark Mirrors, these checkpoints also allow you to unlock new Witcheries. You can also utilize the previously mentioned Moon Rite and Clay Rite. Lastly, you also get to change your weapons here through the Weapon Rite.
5 Focus On Learning Witcheries
Witcheries are the game's equivalent of magic abilities, each with its own way of powering you up or destroying your enemies. Witcheries consume Irma's Ichor, turning it into Spoiled Ichor. While you can still heal with your Spoiled Ichor, you'll have to replenish the bar to use your Witcheries.
In Moonscars, it is important to learn Witcheries because certain enemies in the game are invulnerable to physical attacks, meaning that you'll have to rely on your magical abilities. Make sure you find the ones that best suit your needs.
4 Moon Rite Can Determine Your Journey's Difficulty
Moon Rite is somewhat similar to the World Tendency mechanic that was introduced in Demon's Souls. It essentially involves turning up the difficulty of the game, represented by the Ravenous Moon. This increases your foes' toughness and, at the same time, rewards you with more Bone Powder.
If the game proves too difficult for you during the Ravenous Moon, you can always turn down the difficulty by offering an Ichor Gland to satiate Irma's hunger. So, be sure to keep a track of Moon Rite as you play through the game.
3 Special Attacks Come With A Catch
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Special Attacks are supremely powerful moves that Irma can perform in quick succession to demolish her enemies in an instant. However, these aren't exactly weapons that you get to hold and use. Special Attacks come from Irma's clay Doubles that take a life of their own whenever you reach a new Dark Mirror checkpoint.
The catch, though, is that the moment you reach the new Dark Mirror, you are stripped of your special attacks, and you need to kill your sentient double to access them once more. These sentient clay dolls are fast and never catch a break, so if you plan on taking back your special attacks, Witchery is the way to go here.
2 Be On The Lookout For Spite Levels
Spite Levels is a somewhat hidden mechanic that you may overlook, even though these levels can make a world of difference on your run to the next Dark Mirror. To get these levels, you simply need to accomplish one task–kill enough enemies following a single rest at a Dark Mirror. If you can do that, the Spite Levels are yours.
Spite Levels can grant you bonuses such as extra healing power, reduced Ichor cost, and increased recovery. If you die fighting through your enemies, though, these levels go back to zero. That said, make sure to play it safe when chasing Spite Levels.
1 Stay Patient And Git Gud
If you have read even a single review of Moonscars, you're probably aware of how brutally difficult this game tends to get. So, it makes sense that you can only get better at overcoming the insurmountable odds this game throws at you with a ton of patience and practice.
Like any other Soulslike, practice will make you perfect, but that perfection will come after a ton of attempts and deaths. So, always remember to maintain your patience with the game. If you manage to do so, you can be sure that the game will transform into a cathartic and rewarding experience.